World No 1 Angelique Kerber say she is fired up for a last-16 clash with America's Coco Vandeweghe after blowing away Kristyna Pliskova at the Australian Open on Friday.
The German defending champion, who was taken to three sets in her opening two rounds, smashed struggling Czech Pliskova 6-0, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena as she finally got into her stride.
She now faces the racquet-smashing Vandeweghe, who ended the campaign of Canadian comeback queen Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
"It was not so easy today, she is a tough opponent who serves well and hits the ball strongly. I tried to stay focused until the last point," said Kerber.
She watched some of the Vandeweghe-Bouchard match, which preceded hers, and said she would be ready for the American on Sunday.
"I think it will be a little bit similar to today, but of course, I mean, Coco is a tough opponent. She played good today," she said.
"I know that she's serving good, as well. I have to move good, be ready, bring a lot of balls back, but also be aggressive as well, like I can play."
Bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend an Australian title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013, Kerber had a tough time in her opening two rounds.
It followed an indifferent build-up to Melbourne with early exits in Brisbane and Sydney this month. But she is starting to find her groove with the quarterfinals now in sight.
"I'm ready for every single match every single day. This is what counts, because I know that this is the only way to play good tennis, especially (over) two weeks," she said.
The 35th-ranked Vandeweghe threw a temper tantrum in her second-round clash against Pauline Parmentier, slamming her racquet into the ground three times when she gave away a break point.
But the fiercely competitive American largely kept her emotions in check against Bouchard, only throwing down her racquet once, but not smashing it.
Despite having to slog through three sets against the Canadian – battling back after her high-flying career plunged into a tailspin – the confident American said she always expected to win.
"It was kind of expected, in my mind, to get the win and to get the victory and to move a step closer to achieving what I want to achieve for this year and also this tournament," she said.
She added that she never considered that she might lose a match, and that she would apply the same mindset to the clash with Kerber.
"If you're already thinking you're going to lose to anybody, you have already lost before you have taken a step out there and played the first point or started the warm-up," she said.
The women's draw at Melbourne Park has been blown wide open with the early upsets of third seed Agnieszka Radwanska and fourth ranked Simona Halep.
But worryingly for Kerber, Serena Williams – the woman she beat in last year's final, and then replaced as world No 1 – is still in the hunt and looking ominous.
Williams, chasing a 23rd Grand Slam title, raised a lone index finger after her round two win on Thursday in a gesture many interpreted as the American indicating she still considers herself No 1.
CLASSY VENUS ENDS CHINESE OPEN HOPES
Venus Williams ended Chinese hopes at the Australian Open on Friday, swatting aside Duan Yingying to make the fourth round of the season's opening Grand Slam for a 10th time.
The 13th seed was in a different league, spanking Duan 6-1, 6-0 on Margaret Court Arena and showing no signs of the elbow injury that forced her out of the doubles with sister Serena.
She will next play either Australian hope Ashleigh Barty, who has returned to tennis after a temporary career switch to cricket, or German qualifier Mona Barthel.
If she comes through that encounter, a potential quarterfinal with fellow old-timer Svetlana Kuznetsova could await her.
"She can really hit the ball and I'm lucky to have more experience out there today," said Williams, after spending less than 60 minutes on court.
Remarkably Duan, ranked 87, admitted ahead of the match that she'd never seen Williams play, and would be relying heavily on her coach's guidance.
This is despite the seven-time Grand Slam winner being one of the game's most prominent players over the past two decades.
She paid dearly against a veteran who is still a dangerous force, making the fourth round or better at three of the four Grand Slams last year.
Williams, 36, exploited Duan's weak serve and apparent nerves, racing to a quick break in the opening set, with no way back for the Chinese star. She won a consolation game but that was as good as it got.
Duan, normally an aggressive and powerful player, was never able to get into her groove as Williams dictated the points, pushing her around the court.
The American, the oldest player in the women's draw and at her 17th Australian Open, didn't give an inch, breaking Duan first service game in the second set and romping to an easy victory.
Despite the loss, it was an encouraging tournament for the Chinese No 5, the last player from her country standing having reached a Grand Slam third round for the first time.
FIGHTER KUZNETSOVA WINS BATTLE OF THE AGES
Svetlana Kuznetsova came through a punishing battle of the ages against fellow veteran Jelena Jankovic on Friday, with the Russian amazed she was able to hang on and turn the match around.
The vastly experienced players, both 31 and with 111 Grand Slam appearances between them, slugged it out for three hours, 36 minutes on Hisense Arena with Kuznetsova's ageing legs faring better than Jankovic's.
She finally won 6-4, 5-7, 9-7, bouncing back from 0-3 down in the third to set up a fourth-round clash with fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who upset 11th seed Elina Svitolina in straight sets.
"Jelena was in total control in the third set but I was trying to hang in, it was amazing that I could turn it around," said Kuznetsova, a two-time Grand Slam winner who is enjoying a late career resurgence.
"I just waited and tried to recover some breaks. I was not playing my best."
It was a memorable win for the eighth seed, who is renowned as a three-set fighter and from 7-6 down in the deciding set won 12 of the last 13 points.
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